Hot-top table



06- 15, 1929. AN ET 1,731,949

uo'r 'TOP TAELE Filed Jan. 10, 1929 INVENTORS ande L. 7: Jun-J0 BY AH. pan

, ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE ADOLF A. SPAN, OLE A. SUNDE, AND LOUIS T. SUNDE, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON HOT-TOP TABLE Application filed January 10, 1929; Serial No. 331,595.

This invention relates to that type of electric heatingdevices known as hot tops.

An object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of this character which is especially adapted for use in dining and serving tables to keep dishes of food warm,

also for use in stands or tables whereby surgeons and dentists may keep their instruments at a temperature suitable for opera- 'tions.

Another object is to provide table hot top devices which are inexpensive to install, maintain and operate; and wherein the elec: tric heating unit or-units'are readily accessible forinspection, repair or replacement.

Another object is to provide a dining'table equipped with'electric heating devices which are disposed in spaced relation from the edges of the table top to afford unheated Outer portionsupon which the diners may place their hands or elbows without discomort. i

Another'object is to construct a table having in the top thereof a heating area or areas the upper surface of which is in the plane of the tabletop permitting a cloth to be spread smoothly throughout the entire to )ther specific objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description.

The invention consists in the novel con struction, adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,-

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a dining table with devices embodying our invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 1; and Fig.

4 3 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring for a five-unit heating system.

In said drawing, the reference numeral 5 represents, generally, the top of a table supported upon legs 6 and a skirting 7 depending from said top. Fitted within an opening 8 provided centrally of the top is a shallow metal casing 9 comprising side and end walls 10 which are provided along their upper edges respectively with out-turned flanges 11 which are welded or otherwise firmly secured to the under surface of a cover 12.

A rabbet is provided in the frame 13 of the top which surrounds the opening 8.above referred to, said rabbet is of a size to accommodate the casing flanges 11 and the margins of the cover 12 thereabove so as to have the top surface of thelatter flush with the corresponding surface of the table-top frame 13. The ledges provided by said rab- 69 bet bottoms serve to support the casing.

Let into apertures provided in the cover 12 is one or more imperforateplates 14, or shields as hereinafter termed, five being shown in Fig, 2, whose upper surfaces are also disposed in a plane common with the cover 12 and frame'13 of the table-top.

Said shields are formed of a material having a low-degree of heat conductivity with heat retaining characteristics-a known glass product being adapted to this purpose.

The bottom of the casing comprises a fiat member 15 which is hingedly connected, as at 16, to one of the side walls 10 and is provided with a latch 17 engageable in a catch 18 secured to the opposite side wall. By thus connecting the bottom member of the casing to the side walls thereof, the bottom member is adapted to be swung downwardly to afford access into the interior of so the casing.

Secured upon the bottom member 15 is a floor consisting of a sheet 19 of bakelite or other material of a relatively low conductivity for electricity; and 20 represents a lins5 ing of asbestor or the like for the casing side and endwalls.

21 represent vent holes for the passage of air into and from the interior of the casing to obviate an excessively high temperature within the casing; the vent holes, moreover, are located above the level of the lower edges of the skirting 7, whence hot air escaping throught said holes is diverted downwardly out of contact with diners who may be sitting about the table. Secured upon the floor 19 below the respective shields 14 is a plurality of electric heating unitsillustrated as discs 23 in Figs. 1 and 2, and by resistance coils 23 in Fig. 3, which heating units may 0 1 connecting. ,t-heabo toln. membem t0 theao er.

,to. .be laidthereover. beneatriafood;v containing.

be of any known suitable type. Said heatin; units are connect-ed to a source of electric energy in any known manner as shown, for example, in Fig. 3, wherein the heating units (resistance coils 23) are connected in parallel with circuit wires A, B, the lead-in wires being denotechby a b; firdenotes ,a. switeh andiRi a rheostat.

The construction of the illustrated embodimentof our invention and the manner of its opcrationwill; it isthoughh-be understoodfrom the foregoing description. side andend walls rigid-with said cover, and a It may be pointed out, however, that h bottom member, said walls being, provided apparatus provides a ineans fo furnishw withavent h0lcs,.eleotric heating units supa moderate heat to tables or the like to 011- ported by said bottom member below the resure-.fo0d-;i-3eevodilit ke w being th m int-: 2 spectiveshielding; plates.,-and eneansitoi-supmost palatable condition; that the sshieldse ply a current-.ofselectricitypto said units; tlll'ougllnwllicll ies-hi5 t ansm tted awaietsuch 4. ;In.a :tablet.op-,;a casingidisposed there a degrgeeofiteinpcralzunenas toaenahl m dot illw saidicasing having a cover elementprovided with openings containing-heat-,shielddishes which are to bedgeptiwatrgn ,U1d-,';t lla,t':! ing: platds,.-the t01-) surfaces ofisaid-cover and the diners. ard pigotected gfrolnwtlhei |elfectB-= plates being locateddn .the same. plane .with ofthe.heatiby means ofiithe.tahle skirting Z i thetop surface-of the .tablestop -taid casing and by: positioning manag ng: fi W i QK: depending-from the table-top.andcoinprising the shields 'yvithiin-a-Surlfl Hdi B-g fi 15 I Q side and end walls rigid with said cover, and tion 13, :of-a xelatively poor h at, Conducting. a bottom member. electric heating nnitszsupinediu-m against .iwhieh' the diiuons may rest ported by said bottom-member below the re their arms, .and upon which ,frame,-.auticlesspocti-ve shielding plates, and means itO supsuc ras drinkingwater; ficesy rfi ci.f a=y w plya currentof electricity to said units. -plaoed \v-ith0ut;bei. g materiall .affected/bye 5. In a table-top, a casing disposed therein theheatobtaiajngaboyathe nespecti eshijelds in i-spaeede relation-with. the edgeswthereof, The -advantages ';of;.:tho "in e11; ;-i9 ;i i h. said-casing-ha-ving a cover elementiprovided respe etito seuving -tah1es;,-(surgical, instalment with; Eopenings containing heat.- shielding stands andzanalogousgapp a i s-au it plates,-.-the top surfaces-of said coves and ibviousi'fronl the. abovewexplanation rogandm plates beinglocated illjtllQ same plane with inga diningiallleit, the 1top: surface of the tahle-.top,-sa-id casing miatzx e -claimimr comprising side and end walls and a bottom 1. In 1a itable top a .casei-idisposed -,th orc/,-.. member, electriciheating mits supported by in-irispaced relatiomwith'theiedges thereof, said bottomunember below. the respective saidcasinghaviug aicoveir element/provided shielding.plates and meansto supply. a curwith openings;containing; heat;shielding- ,rent ofelectricityto-saidun-its. plates -the top surfaces of said coven and (3. In a :table the-combinationwith the plates .being located .in,-thesame iplanevi th thetop surface of theitahle-top, saidflcasing ,dependi-ng irom the tablevtop and #2 1111) rising side and end walls ri id with said cove t andi a bottom member hial'gedly-connected to one of .the side avails; means for: releasably. connectingthmbottom member to the-other side avail, said wallsbeingiprovidedwith vent. pending, from;thetable-top.irrspaced-rela- 110185,.eleotrie-,- heat/i1igunits supported by; tion-from.theeasing:to servo asr-a battle-for said bottom member below: the;.respective; heated air emitted-through said airvents. shielding. plates, and-,meams-to-supplya cur 7. a table,theieombination-with the tarent .ofi electricitytov said units:

2.;- In-a table top, a casings disposedthereiu said-feasinghavinga cover'element pro vided .withopenings containing-heat shielding plates, the topsurfaoes of saideovernand pla tes dieing. located/in the, same .plane' avith the,. top surface of the tahle top, said casing depending firointhfi tabla top and comprisin side: iand lend wallssrigidqavitl1.isa-id.- c0ver,. day-.of .Decemher,.l928. and a bottom memlier hilngedly. connected to. ADOLF. A. SPAN. one ofifthie, sidemvalls, aneansior releasably OLE a-iL-SUNDE.

LOUIS. -TlfSUNDEn.

side Wall, electric heating units supported by said bottom member below the respective shielding plates, and means to supply a current of electricity to said units.

3. In a table-top, a casing disposed there in, said casing having a. cover clement provided-with openings containing heatshield ing..plates. the top surfaces of said cover and plates being located in the same plane with the top surface of the table-top said casing depending from the table' top and con'iprising tion fX'On1';ltS.dg6S.; a shield .pla-te-.let--into -the topmfi said casing an electric heating ,unit provided interior-1y of the casingnnd below. said/shieldlplategzmeans tQ-snpply an electrie ourrent-ito .said. heating;.un it,. vent vided in the casing anelectricheatingnnit, meansforrdetachabty securing ,said heating ,Lll1it\!intGri0I"]) {of: the oasing and means to isupplyran .electir-ie current-to said heating unitsml =table-top, of a casing; therein in spaced relaholes provided in, the casing, and skirting de'i SigU d'HtsSeattle, Vashington; ihisf22ndblevtop of a casing theuein, a shield platelet intoitheltop ofisaidicasingg-vent holes pro-. 

